Magister Artium - MA / Cape Town is a unique city. It has a global biodiversity hotspot, in the midst of an urban area. Historically, nature conservation practice excluded and marginalized certain groups of people based on their race and class. This has led to peoples‘ disconnection from nature. Rapid biodiversity loss is a major concern for conservators. In the last three decades, there has been a paradigm shift in conservation practice in certain parts of the world. The Cape Flats Nature programme based in Cape Town followed suit and aimed to stimulate a bottom-up participatory approach to conservation and replace the traditional top-down management strategy. The programme was tasked to reconcile the challenges of complex and conflicting relationships between urban poverty, unequal access to resources and biodiversity conservation. This study was aimed at investigating the relationships between conservation management, community partners and urban conservation areas. These relationships are vital for the progression of new conservation practice in places where people live and work. In addition, the transformative aspects of conservation in relation to social inclusion and the shift in conservation approaches was investigated. The study was conducted at five of Cape Town‘s nature reserves, Edith Stephens Wetland Park, Macassar Dunes, Harmony Flats, Wolfgat and Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserves. Data collection included in depth interviews with key informants from various conservation organizations, the Cape Flats Nature Programme team, the managers of the selected reserves and community partners. Others included observational methods and analysis of secondary data. It was found that relationships between conservators and local communities are not easily created and maintained but relationships regardless of its depth are equally beneficial to communities and the conservators. Balancing social needs with conservation needs is a struggle for conservators but many successes came in cases where this balance was realized. In addition, the transformation of conservators‘ identity has changed community perceptions of conservation practice holistically. Although, many informants feel that transformation continues to remain unequal. / South Africa

Development, environmental sustainability, agriculture and livelihoods are dimensions that are often considered antagonistic. By thinking at the landscape level however, innovative opportunities arise for simultaneity as these entities manifest spatially and require communication across disciplines. Trans-frontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) embrace this thinking. These are large areas that cut across two or more international boundaries, include within them at least one Protected Area (PA) and other multiple resource use areas, including human dwellings and cultivated areas. Similarly, ecoagriculture is an innovative approach to land use management as it seeks to spatially synergise agriculture, livelihoods and biodiversity conservation across space and requires an awareness of landscape-level issues by land users, a condition which is not necessarily met. Such landscape thinking stems from the fact that if a piece of land is subject to rigorous conservation, it will fail if the surrounding areas are degraded. Additionally, it has been shown that agriculture often benefits from the nearby presence of natural areas for ecosystem services such as pollination, pest management, and erosion control. As such, multifunctional landscape mosaics together with small scale farmers, not large scale monocultures, are the key to global food security, as the former more effectively links agricultural intensification to hunger reduction. In order to ascertain an integrated understanding of the landscape concept, necessary for the formalisation of ecoagriculture, this study assessed the landscape perceptions and understandings held by local people residing within a TFCA. We employed participatory methods within the Mathenjwa Tribal Area (MTA), an area falling within the Lubombo TFCA and identified as holding ecoagriculture potential. Results revealed that local people perceive landscape as a function of subsistence utility. Local people perceive land-use multifunctionality, necessary for the formalisation of ecoagriculture, but at a smaller scale than expected depending on both social and biophysical interpretations. Landscape scale projects should incorporate local landscape understandings. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MA / Unrestricted

Earlier studies investigated the genetic structure of fragmented or isolated elephant populations by comparing the genetic characteristics of pre-defined populations. This study aimed to determine if there was genetic evidence for spatial structuring in a continuous elephant population in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA). I sequenced one mtDNA gene region for 88 individuals and genotyped 100 individuals for 10 nuclear microsatellite loci. Bayesian Clustering Algorithms incorporated in the program Geneland were used to identify groups of genetically similar individuals. An Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) determined if these groups (henceforth referred to as subpopulations) were significantly differentiated. I used a Geographic Information System (GIS) landscape genetic toolbox to identify areas in the landscape with high genetic divergence between individual samples to determine if there were identifiable genetic barriers in the landscape. There were three significantly differentiated mtDNA sub-populations (Fst = 0.787), and two nDNA sub-populations that were not significantly differentiated (Fst = -0.02; Rst = -0.045), implying obstructed mtDNA, but high nDNA gene flow across the study region. Also, gene flow was apparent between Chobe and Kafue National Parks, where telemetry data has as of yet not recorded inter-population movements between these parks. The three mtDNA sub-populations were geographically differentiated and followed political boundaries as apparent sub-populations in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The differences between mtDNA and nDNA genetic structuring may be explained by i) historical events that shaped the current genetic structure (e.g. through founder-effects and persistent poaching hotspots) and ii) intrinsic variables that influence genetic structure at a local scale (e.g. through resource dependencies and social behaviour). The KAZA elephant population has a genetic diversity (mtDNA diversity as the pairwise number of differences (π) = 2.59; nDNA diversity as the mean alleles/locus and He = 7.5, 0.71) higher than other southern African populations, and inter-population movements may be responsible for maintaining this genetic diversity. I recommend continued support for conservation initiatives that aim at maintaining and restoring connectivity between populations through landscape linkages, which in so doing may ensure inter-population gene flow and uphold the current genetic state of the KAZA-TFCA elephant population. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The global-local sustainable development and climate change adaptation policy, and the emerging political discourse on the value of local Adaptation, have positioned the local institutions and their governance space within the strategic enclaves of multilevel governance system. Such shifts have transformed the context for sustainable Nature Based Tourism (NBT) development and adaptation in Nepal in general, and its protected areas, in particular. The emerging institutional adaptation discourse suggests on the need to link tourism development, adaptation and governance within the sustainability concept, and also to recognize the justice and inclusive dimensions of local adaptation. However, sociological investigation of institutional adaptation, particularly at the interface between sustainability, justice and inclusive local adaptation is an undertheorized research topic. This exploratory study examined the sociological process of the institutional adaptation, especially the social resilience and adaptive governance capacities of the NBT institutions, in 7 Village Development Committees of the Mustang district, a popular destination in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Using the sphere (a dynamic social space concept) and quality of governance as the analytical framework, the integrative adaptation as the methodological approach and the case study action research method, the study investigated and generated a holistic picture on the state of the social resilience and adaptive governance capacities of the NBT institutions. The findings show institutional social resilience capacities to be contingent on socio-political construction of adaptation knowledge and power. Factors influencing such constructions among NBT institutions include: the site and institutions specific political, economic and environmental dispositions; the associated socio-political processes of knowledge constructions and volition action; and the social relationships and interaction, operating within the spheres and at multiple governance levels. The adaptive governance capacities hinge on the institutional arrangements, the procedural aspects of adaptation governance and the governmentality. These are reflective of the diverse legal frameworks, the interiority perspective of the decision making and governance practices of the NBT institutions. In conclusion, it is argued that effective local adaptation in the Mustang district is contingent on the adaptation and institutional dynamics of the NBT institutions, consisting of the cognitive, subjective, process and procedural aspects of the adaptation knowledge production and its use. / Die Politik im Bereich der nachhaltigen Entwicklung und der Anpassung an den Klimawandel sowie der Diskurs über die diesbezüglichen Adaptionsnotwendigkeiten auf lokaler Maßstabsebene, tangieren die Institutionen vor Ort und deren Position im Rahmen eines multi-skalaren Governance. Durch diese Umgewichtung wurden die Rahmenbedingungen für den Naturtourismus in Nepal verändert, insbesondere in den Schutzgebieten. Der sich daraus ergebende Governance-Diskurs hinsichtlich der institutionellen Anpassung betont die Notwendigkeit, Regionalentwicklung allgemein und speziell die Entwicklung des Naturtourismus im Sinne des Nachhaltigkeitskonzepts ganzheitlich zu betrachten. Sowohl die Dimension der Gerechtigkeit wie auch die Inklusivität lokaler Adaptionsnotwendigkeiten gilt es somit gleichrangig zu würdigen. Die sozialwissenschaftliche Erforschung der institutionellen Anpassung an der Schnittstelle zwischen Nachhaltigkeit, Gerechtigkeit und inklusive der lokalen institutionellen Adaptionsnotwendigkeiten, stellt bisher ein theoretisch unzureichend erfasstes Thema dar. Diese explorative Studie untersucht diesen sozialwissenschaftlichen Prozess der institutionellen Anpassung, insbesondere die soziale Resilienz und die adaptiven Governance-Kapazitäten der Naturtourismus-Institutionen in sieben Dorfentwicklungskomitees des Mustang Distrikts, einer beliebten Destination in der Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Den Analyserahmen stellen der Wirkungsbereich (innerhalb eines dynamischen sozialen Raumes) und die Qualität des multi-skalaren Governance-Regimes dar. Methodologisch auf dem Ansatz der integrativen Anpassung basierend, wird die Forschungsmethode der „case study action research“ gewählt. Die Arbeit analysiert dabei den Status der sozialen Resilienz und adaptiven Goverance-Kapazitäten der örtlichen Naturtourismus-Institutionen, mit dem Ziel, ein ganzheitliches Bild derselben zu präsentieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Kapazität im Bereich der sozialen Resilienz bedingt wird durch die sozio-politische Konstruktion von Wissen und Macht. Zu den Faktoren, welche diese Konstruktionen bei den Naturtourismus-Institutionen im Annapurna-Gebiet Nepals beeinflussen, zählen unter Anderem: orts- und institutionenspezifische politische, ökonomische und umweltbezogene Bedingungen; die darauf beruhenden sozio-politischen Prozesse der Wissenskonstruktion, sowie soziale Beziehungen und Interaktionen, die innerhalb des dynamischen sozio-politischen Raumes und des Governance auf verschiedenen Maßstabsebenen wirksam sind. Die adaptiven Governance-Kapazitäten hängen u.a. vom institutionellen Aufbau und den verfahrenstechnischen Aspekten der politischen Steuerung der lokalen Institutionen ab. Sie spiegeln unterschiedliche rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen, die Innenperspektive der Entscheidungsfindung und die Governance-Praktiken der Naturtourismus-Institutionen wider. Zusammenfassend wird argumentiert, dass effektive lokale Klimawandel-Adaption im Mustang Distrikt Nepals abhängig ist von den spezifischen institutionellen Dynamiken der Naturtourismus-Institutionen, welche sich aus den kognitiven, subjektiven, prozess- und verfahrensorientierten Aspekten der Generierung von Adaptions-Wissen und seiner konkreten Anwendung zusammensetzt.

Thesis (MScConEcol)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis I explore how elephant movements are impacted by human activity within the context of the proposed Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) in southern Africa. Being a wide-ranging species, the movements of elephants could be an excellent indicator as to the success of TFCAs in supporting species persistence in an anthropogenic matrix. Understanding which areas beyond protected area boundaries are of heightened conservation importance can provide managers and governments with insights for the management of the elephant population of KAZA TFCA, and assist managers and governments in prioritising conservation efforts. Satellite radio collar data were used to model long-range elephant movement within KAZA TFCA. Movement was compared between land use types (protected and nonprotected areas). Home ranges, core areas and seasonal ranges were calculated from collar data. Core and non-core areas were tested for significant differences in distance to settlements, rivers, protected area, AFRI and elevation as these spatial and ecological variables are believed to play a role in elephant habitat selection. Short-range elephant movements were examined in a heterogeneous, patchy landscape mosaic of settlements and agricultural fields, remnant forest patches, and secondary forests which were surrounded on three sides by protected areas. Elephant penetration of the anthropogenic matrix through the use of pathways was explored through ground-based surveys, and the impact of pathways use on human-elephant conflict calculated. I found that elephant behavioural plasticity allows for their persistence in a spatially heterogeneous landscape. Elephants, especially bulls, penetrated the landscape matrix beyond protected area boundaries. Land use planning initiatives are needed to identify and protect reachable core zones/stepping stones of quality habitat outside of protected areas, particularly in riparian zones. Differing male and female ranging behaviour within the landscape matrix may require separate land use management strategies: bulls travelled at night in non-protected areas at speeds that were four times faster than in protected areas, and made use of core zones necessary for species persistence in a fragmented landscape. A habitat corridor in the Zambian West Zambezi Game Management Area was identified. I found that during short range movements in heterogeneous environments, elephants made use of pathways. Pathways may facilitate penetration of the anthropogenic matrix and optimize foraging strategies by connecting predictable resources, such as crop fields, with landscape features such as preferred shelter/ resting areas, crossing points at roads and preferred drinking spots. Pathways were found to be the only significant spatial variable in crop-raiding. Elephants foraged randomly while in homogenous crop patches, but when travelling through a heterogeneous environment (entering or leaving agricultural locales), movement was directional and non-random. Lastly I suggest that crop attractiveness may be enhanced by water availability. Results indicated that at both the landscape and the regional scale, repeat elephant movements to core zones and along elephant pathways provided landscape ecological variables that need to be considered by conservation managers in land use planning. In addition, research on spatial awareness and navigational capabilities with regards to pathway use by elephants should be encouraged, as this research topic has been largely unexplored in the scientific literature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis verken ek die moontlike impak van menslike aktiwiteite op olifant beweging binne die beoogde Kavango-Zambezi Oorgrens Bewaringsarea (KAZA TFCA) in suider-Afrika. Olifante is wydlopende spesies, en dus kan hul ruimtelike strekking ‘n uitstekende indikator wees van die sukses van oorgrens bewaringsareas in terme van die ondersteuning wat dié programme bied om spesies se volharding in ‘n antropogeniese matriks te verseker. Besturrders en regerings kan insig verkry deur te besef watter areas buiten die in beskermde gebiede, van verhoogde bewarings belang in KAZA TFCA is. Hierdie insig verleen ook bystand aan bestuurders en regerings met die prioritisering van bewarings inisiatiewe. Satelliet-radio nekband data was gebruik om olifante se langtermyn ruimtelike beweging binne die KAZA TFCA te modelleer. Olifant beweging was vergelyk tussen verskillende grondgebruik tipes (beskermde en onbeskermde areas). Tuistestrekking, kern areas asook seisoenale strekking was bereken vanaf nekband data. Kern en nie-kern areas was getoets vir betekenisvolle verskille in afstand vanaf nedersettings, riviere, berskermde gebiede, AFRI, en hoogte bo seevlak, omdat hierdie ruimtelike en ekologiese veranderlikes ‘n belangrike rol mag speel in olifant habitat seleksie. Kortafstand olifant bewegings was bestudeer in ‘n heterogene, gelapte landskap mosaïek van nedersettings en landbougrond, oorblywende woudareas, en sekondêre woude waarvan drie sye grens aan bekermde areas. Olifant indringing binne die antropogeniese matriks deur die gebruik van weë/toegangsweë was verken deur middel van landgebaseerde opnames, waarvolgens die impak van olifante se gebruik van hierdie paaie op mens-olifant konflik bereken kon word. My bevindinge wys dat plastisiteit in olifant gedrag dra by tot hul voortbestaan in ‘n ruimtelik heterogene landskap. Olifante, maar meer spesifiek olifantbulle, penetreer wel die landskap matriks buite beskermde area grense. Grondgebruik beplannings inisiatiewe word dus benodig om bereikbare kern areas van kwaliteit habitat buite beskermde areas te identifiseer en te beskerm – veral in rivieroewer sones. Verskille in bul en koei ruimtelike strekking gedrag binne die landskap matriks, mag afsonderlike bestuur stratgieë vereis: bv. bulle beweeg vier keer vinniger in die aand in onbeskermde areas teenoor in beskermde gebiede, daarby maak hulle ook gebruik van kern areas wat kardinaal is vir die voortbestaan van spesies in gefragmenteerde landskappe. ‘n Habitat deurgang was geïdentifiseer in die Zambiese Wes-Zambesie Wildbestuurarea. Die studie het gevind dat olifante gedurende kortafstand bewegings in heterogene omgewings gebruik maak toegangsweë. Toegangsweë mag penetrasie van die antropogeniese matriks fasiliteer, en verleen ook dat olifant weidingstrategieë die optimum bereik deur voorspelbare hulpbronne soos gewaslanderye te konnekteer met landskap eienskappe soos voorrang skuiling/rusareas, kruisingspunte by paaie, asook voorrang drinkplekke. Toegangsweë was gevind om die enigste betekenisvolle ruimtelike veranderlike in gewasstrooptogte te wees. Olifante wei lukraak in homogene gewaslanderye, maar in teenstelling, wanneer hulle deur ‘n heterogene omgewing beweeg het (binnegang of uittog uit landbou lokaliteite) was die beweging gerig. Laastens, die studie stelvoor dat gewas aantreklikheid verhoog kan word deur water beskikbaarheid. Resultate dui aan dat by beide die landskap- en streekskaal verskaf herhaalde olifant beweging na kern areas en langs olifants togangsweë, landskap ekologiese veranderlikes wat in ag geneem moet word deur bewaringsbestuurders tydens grondgebruik beplanning. Bykomend, navorsing op die ruimtelike bewustheid en navigasie vermoëns van savannah olifante met betrekking tot die gebruik van toegangsweë, moet aangemoedig word aangesien hierdie onderwerp grootliks onverken is in wetenskaplike literatuur.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-88). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-88).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-12T20:12:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGEF14MA027.pdf: 1058498 bytes, checksum: 6501dab1ea3b3aad80c46c5326c56a8b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-14 / The Conservation Unit of National Park category aims mainly the preservation of natural ecosystems, as it is of public possession and domain private areas included in its boundaries should be properly expropriated. Law No. 9985 of 2000 provides that Units of Integral Protection category are considered rural.For determining the expropriation amount, environmental agencies use the methodology proposedby theInstitutoNacional de Colonização e ReformaAgrária (INCRA) [National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform] that reflects the prioritization of valuation factors related to area productivity, commonly seeing diversity as a limiting factor to agricultural activities. Since National Park objective is ecosystems preservation, the question is does the methodology used for valuing not underestimate the values of wilderness areas properly preserved by the owners? From the forest survey data made in a 957.1 ha area inserted in São Joaquim National Park, the Valuation of Ecological Factors methodology associated with the Contingent Valuation Method proposed in this paper were used, to supplement the data already obtained in the valuation performed by the responsible agency. The proposed methodology resulted in an increase of 39.18% in the final value of the property under study. Therefore, it is concluded that the values obtained with valuation method used by INCRA, does not consider ecological factors and preserved areas that are the goal of a PARNA, so that owners of inserted land in the Conservation Units of Integral Protection may be being compensated for those areas with values below its importance. This work aims to support new tools for land policies so that homeowners are encouraged to not modify the preserved areas, contributing to the larger goal of a conservation Integral Protection: biodiversity conservation / A Unidade de Conservação de categoria Parque Nacional objetiva principalmente a preservação de ecossistemas naturais, como é de posse e domínio públicos as áreas particulares incluídas em seus limites devem ser devidamente desapropriadas.A Lei nº 9985 de 2000 determina que as Unidades de categoria de Proteção Integral são consideradas zonas rurais. Para determinar os valores de desapropriação os órgãos ambientais utilizam a metodologia proposta pelo Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária (INCRA) que reflete a priorização da valoração de fatores ligados à produtividade da área, muitas vezes encarando a diversidade como um fator limitante às atividades agrícolas. Visto que o objetivo do Parque Nacional é a preservação dos ecossistemas, questiona-se: será que a metodologia empregada para valoração não subestima os valores das áreas naturais devidamente preservadas pelos proprietários? A partir do levantamento de dados florestais efetuados em uma área de 957,1 ha inserida no Parque Nacional de São Joaquim, utilizou-se a metodologia de Valoração de Fatores Ecológicos associada ao Método de Valoração Contingente, proposta no presente trabalho, para complementar os dados já obtidos na valoração realizada pelo órgão responsável. A metodologia proposta proporcionou um aumento de 39,18% no valor final da propriedade em estudo. Diante disso, conclui-se que os valores obtidos com a metodologia de Valoração utilizada pelo INCRA, não consideram fatores ecológicos e áreas preservadas que são o objetivo de um Parque Nacional, logo os proprietários de terras inseridas em Unidades de Conservação de Proteção Integral podem estar sendo indenizados por essas áreas com valores aquém de sua importância. Este trabalho visa subsidiar novas ferramentas para políticas fundiárias de modo que os proprietários sejam incentivados a não alterarem as áreas preservadas, contribuindo para o maior objetivo de uma Unidade de Conservação de Proteção Integral: a conservação da biodiversidade

This dissertation deals with impact of travelling on protection of nature and environment in the region called Žďárské vrchy. It shows the authorities of nature protection in the Czech republic. It contains the description of area itself. This work includes all the sports (cykling, hiking, mountaineering and other winter sports) which are done in this area. These sports can influence environment and this fact is analysed and there is also described the possible way of solution within nature protection of Žďárské vrchy. In this dissertation is described a problem of a sustainable develompment and tourism in this conservation area.

The thesis is devoted to the issue of tourism development in areas with specific protection. Due to the massive development of tourism, it is necessary to focus on its negative effects, which should be avoided. The performance is therefore sustainable tourism development, which proclaims the idea of preserving existing tourism attractions to future generations. Based on field research, structured interviews and questionnaires with tourism stakeholders identified the status of tourism in protected natural areas in the Czech Republic. Subsequently, the proposed options for tourism development in these areas. A case study is focused on the tourist neglected protected landscape area of Iron Mountain. Keywords: tourism, sustainable tourism, nature conservation area, Iron Mountain